Heating apparatus



Jan. 29, 1946; A. BARNSTEINER 2,393,879

HEATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 50, 1941 4vSheets-Sheet1 WITNESSES: $9 INVENTOR I 67 -A4Faus fineusn- /use 76.41. f V ATTO NEY A. BARNSTEINER HEATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 50, 1941 I F lfil lllulllll "I Human" I 1 Q l i Jan. 29, 1946.

INVIENTQR Jam/5 54605747056 BY M ATTOR Jam 1945- A. BARNSTEINER HEATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 50'. 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR /6 Mum/5 ATTO EY WITNESSES:

.HLtd- Jan. 29, 1946. A. BARNSTEINER 2,393,879

I HEATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 50 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNESSES: INVENTOR 7 W ,JLFOA/S BAEMSTE/L/EE J. H BY ATTO EY Patented Jan. 29, 1946 HEATING APPARATUS Alfons Barnsteiner, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 30, 1941, Serial No. 412,932

9 Claims. -(01. 126-37) This invention relates to heating appliances and particularly to cooking ranges and it has for an object to provide an improved range of the character set forth.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sturdy range made of a minimum number of easily shaped parts which interfit and require a minimum of fastening means.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved range which may be shipped knock down with the parts nested and readily assembled or set up without the need of costly machines and tools.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a range which is particularly adapted for use in built-in kitchens.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electric range made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the range illustrated in Fig. 1, the section being taken substantially on the line 11-11 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the range illustrated in Fig. 1 with portions broken away to illustrate certain details of construction;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line IV--IV of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an exploded view, in perspective, of certain of the parts of the present range.

Referring to the drawings, there has been illustrated in Fig. 1 a cooking range In which, when viewed from the front, may have the appearance of conventional present-day ranges. This range, as shown in this figure, does not have finished lateral sides and is particularly adapted to be placed in side-by-side abutting relation with adiacent cabinets, cabinet sinks, or other built-in kitchen equipment so popular in the modern kitchen.

The range comprises an outer wrapper sheet I l which is preferably enameled on its outer surface to provide a pleasing appearance. This wrapper sheet is formed of one piece of suitable sheet metal to provide an easily fabricated and inexpensive construction. The wrapper sheet together with a pair of diagonally-extending braces I2 constitutes the outer body of the range which requires no additional bracing or reinforcing The blank from which the one-piece wrapper sheet I I is formed, is bent, before being enameled, to provide a vertical front panel l3, a horizontal platform or cooking surface l4, and a vertical back splasher IS. A toe space is formed at the bottom of the range by an offset vertical portion 16 and a connecting horizontal portion H which are preferably integral with the bottom of the front panel l3.

The lower edge of the offset portion I6 is bent back to provide a horizontal flange l8 which is adapted to rest on the floor. The side edges of the wrapper sheet II are also bent back to provide vertical flanges [9 along the front panel, platform and back splasher and a horizontal flange 20 along the upper edge of the back splasher 15. All of these flanges are bent on a small radius so that the exposed front edges or corners of the wrapper sheet will be rounded as indicated at 2| in Fig. 2.

As mentioned above, the outer body of the range is completed by means of a pair of diagonal braces l2. These braces comprise elongated strips of sheet metal which may be ribbed as indicated at 22 to increase their rigidity. These braces are disposed at each side of the wrapper sheet and secured to the vertical flanges l9 of the wrapper sheet adjacent the rear end of the platform It and the lower end of the front panel 13. They may be secured to these flanges by means of bolts or rivets, although it is preferred to spot weld them to the flanges, before enameling the outer surface of the wrapper sheet and thereby provide a substantially integral framework for supporting the range parts. The wrapper sheet is enameled after the braces have been attached thereto and before the remaining range parts are assembled therein.

In the particular construction illustrated in the drawings, the range platform M has been provided with three circular openings 24 which may be stamped therein while forming downwardly offset horizontal flanges 25 (Fig. 2). These flanges are adapted to support heating elements such as gas burners or electric surface units. the embodiment shown in the drawings, electric surface units 26 are mounted in the openings 24. It will be understood that any desired number of openings 24 and surface units 26 may be provided and that the surface units and openings need not be circular.

The surface units 26 are connected by suitable conductors 21 to a source of power in a manner well known in the art and controlled by means of switches (not shown) operated by means of suitably graduated knobs 26 mounted on the front panel I3. If desired the switches and knobs 28 may be mounted on the back splasher.

, The conductors 21 leading from the surface units 26 extend into an enclosed space immediately below the platform I4. This space is enclosed by means of aheater box comprising a U- shaped member 29 having side walls 30 and a bottom wall 3| which is substantially coextensive with the platform I4. The upper edges of the side walls 36 are disposed adjacent the under surface of the platform I4 while the forward edges of these walls and of the bottom wall 3| are located closely adjacent the inner surface of the front panel I3 to provide a box-like enclosure with the platform I4 and front panel I3. The open rear end of this box-like enclosure is closed by means of a flanged cover member 33 (Fig. adapted to be bolted to the U-shaped member as indicated at 34 (Fig. 2). While, in the particular embodiment shown, the cover 33 is a separate member attached to the heater box 29, it is to be understood that the cover may be made integral with the heater box, if desired.

The forward end of the U-shaped member 29 rests on and is secured to an angle bracket 35 (Fig. 2) carried by the front panel I3 and its rear end is secured as by means of bolts or the like 36 to the diagonal braces I2.

A crumb tray 31 is slidable on the bottom wall 3| of the heater box, as shown particularly in Fig. 2, and is removed through an opening 33 provided in the front panel I3 immediately above the wall 3|.

Immediately below the crumb tray opening 38,

the vertical front panel I3 is provided with a large rectangular opening 39 which is adapted to receive an oven liner 4|. This oven liner may be of conventional construction and is provided with an outwardly turned flange 42 at its open end to engage an inwardly offset vertical flange 43 provided in the front panel about the opening 39. As will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 2, the oven liner is adapted to be inserted through the opening 39 into the 'range body.

The front end of the oven liner 4| is supported by means of the vertical flange 43 of the front panel I3 and is drawn against this flange by a draw bolt 44. The rear end of the oven liner is supported by means of an inverted U-shaped brace 45, see Fig. 3, which is secured, as by spot weldin to a channel-shaped base 46.

I The side wall 41 of this channel-shaped base are cut out at their lower front comers as indicated at 48 (Fig. 5) to receive the inwardly offset vertical portion I6 of the front panel. A flange 49 (Fig. 5) formed along the horizontal portion of each of these cutouts overlies the connecting portion I! of the front panel and may be bolted there. to. The lower edges of the base are bent inwardly to provide'horizontal flanges 5|, aligned with the flange I8 at the bottom of the toe plate, which rest on the floor. The base 46 may be provided with a reinforcing brace 52 of the configuration shown in Fig. 3 to give additional strength thereto.

From the construction described above it will be apparent that the wrapper sheet together with its diagonal braces I2, the heater box 29, the oven liner 4| and the base 46 each form a separate unit as shown particularly in Fig. 5. These units are adapted to be nested to conserve space when shipping the ranges in knock-down form. The units may be secured together in the manner described above to provide a compact and rigid range body. The order in which these parts are assembled is not material although it will be found convenient to insert the oven'dinerjn place after the other parts have been assemblifsince 6 oven door hinge assembly casings 53 (Fig. 2) are preferably bolted to the base 46 at each side of the oven liner.

The casings 53 may be of any desired construction and preferably have supported therein springpressed latches (not shown) which are adapted to engage arms 54 carried one on each side of the rearward face of an oven door 55 for latchin the door in either closed or broiling position. The arms 54 project into the casings when the door is closed and may be pivoted on pins 55a carried by the casings 53. The pivoted mounting of the oven door arms 54 and the specific latching arrangement forms no part of the present invention and any other satisfactory construction may be used. Referring particularly to Fig. 5, it will be noted that the heater box cover 33 is provided with relatively offset notches 56 in the upper and lower flanges thereof which receive an elongated flattened tube or vent 51. The vent 51 preferably comprises an elongated rectangular plate 53 having a trough-shaped member 59 secured to one face thereof. The vent 51 is received in the mentioned notches with the flat plate 56 directed toward the front of the range, a vertical flange 6| being provided, along one edge of a notch 62 formed in the bottom wall 3| of the heater box 29, to which the plate 5| is secured as shown in Fig.3.

The flat plate of the vent is provided with an opening 63 which is substantially aligned with an opening 64 provided in the rear wall of the oven liner 4|. A pipe 60 (Fig. 4) extending between the vent 51 and the rear wall of the oven connects these openings so that fumes and gases from the oven may pass through this pipe into the vent. An opening 65 provided in the front face of the vent adjacent its upper end and immediately behind an opening 66 in the back splasher I5 discharges the oven fumes into the 5 atmosphere. The opening in the back splasher may be covered with a suitable grill (Fig. l) as is customary in the art.

Conductors (not shown) for supplying energy to the surface units 26 and oven heating elements (not shown) extend through an opening 61 (Fig. 2) provided in the rear of the upper wall of the base 46, into a conduit or conductor channel generally indicated at 68. While oven heating elements have not been shown in the drawings they will be mounted, as is customary, within the oven liner 4| adjacent the upper and lower walls thereof with their terminals substantially aligned with and receivable in terminal blocks (not shown) which will be mounted in openings 69 and II provided in the back wall of the oven liner. The mentioned conductor channel 68 is provided with openings 12 and I3 which are substantially aligned with openings 69 and II, respectively, to permit conductors from the mentioned heating element terminal blocks to be extended into the channel. This channel comprises a U-shaped member I4 which extends vertically between the top of the base 46 and the bottom of the heater box 29 with its open side facing the front of 7 the range. The open side of the channel is closed by means of a flanged cover 15 which may be I bolted or otherwise suitably secured thereto as indicated at 16 in Figs. 2, 3', and 4. The conductor channel is secured to the heater box 29 and the base 46 and serves to connect and brace these parts. The mentioned openings 12 and I3 are formed in the cover It.

The oven liner ll is enclosed by means of suitable heat-insulatinfmaterial such as glass or rock wool. This insulation may be made in preformed fiat slabs or bats '18 (Fig. 1) which are adapted to be slid into the spaces between the oven liner walls and the adjacent range structure. In the particular rang illustrated in the drawings five or more of such bats of insulation may be used. Referring particularly to Fig.

3 it will be understood that rectangular bats of insulation material may be inserted between the bottom of the heater box 29 and the top of the oven liner 4! and in the space below the oven liner and above the base 48 before assembling the conductor channel 68 and oven vent 51 on the range body.

Similar bats of insulation material may be inserted between the sides of the oven liner ll and the diagonal braces i2. As shown in Fig. 1 these diagonal braces hold the preformed bats of insulation material in position. Another bat of insulation material may be inserted in back of the oven liner between the rear wall thereof and the conductor channel 68 before the channel and the oven vent 51 are attached to the range body. This last-mentioned bat may be provided with suitable openings to receive the oven vent pipe 60 and the conductors extending through the openings 69 and 'Il provided in the oven liner. As is customary in the art the oven door may also be filled with heat-insulating material so that a complete heat baflle is provided about the oven.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A. range comprising a one-piece wrapper sheet including a front panel, a horizontal platform and a vertical back splasher, said platform having recesses therein adapted to receive heating elements, a brace member for said wrapper sheet disposed at each side thereof and attached to said platform adjacent the rear end thereof and to said front panel adjacent the lower end thereof, a heater box disposed beneath said platform, and means for supporting said heate box on said braces.

2. A cabinet structure for a range comprising a one-piece wrapper sheet including a vertical front panel and a horizontal platform, said panel and platform having vertically-extending flanges along the side edges thereof, the. respective flanges at each side of said sheet being disposed substantially in a common plane, and a brace at each side of said sheet, said braces each having one end thereof attached to the flange on said platform adjacent the rear end of said platform and the other end attached to the flange on said front panel adjacent the lower end of said panel.

3. A range comprising a one-piece wrapper sheet including a vertical front panel and a horizontal platform, said panel and platform having vertically extending flanges along the side edges thereof, the respective flanges at each side of said sheet being disposed substantially in a common plane, a brace at each side of said sheet, said braces each having one end thereof attached to the flange on said platform adjacent the rear end of said platform and the other end attached to the flange on said front panel adjacent the lower end of said panel, a channel-shaped member disposed immediately below said platform with the open side thereof facing the under surface of said platform, and means for attaching said member to said braces.

4. A cabinet structure for a range comprising a one-piece wrapper sheet including a vertical front panel and a horizontal platform, a brace disposed at each side of said wrapper sheet and extending diagonally from adjacent the rear end of said platform to the lower end of said front panel, means for securing the respective ends of said braces to said platfo m and said front panel, a member disposed beneath said platform, said member including a lower wall substantially coextensive with said platform and spaced therefrom to provide a compartment therebetween. and means for securing said member to said braces for supporting said member.

5. A range cabinet comprising a one-piece wrapper sheet including a vertical front panel and a horizontal platform, said wrapper sheet having vertically-extending flanges along the lateral edges of said front panel and platform, a diagonal brace disposed at each side of said wrapper sheet and attached to said flanges adjacent the rear end of said platform and the lower-end of said front panel, a. U-shaped member disposed beneath said platform with the opposed walls thereof located adjacent said braces, the bottom wall of said U-shaped membe being substantially coextensive with said platform, means for supporting said U-shaped member from said braces with the upper edges of said opposed walls located closely adjacent the under surface of said platform, said U-shaped member forming a heater box with said platform, an inverted U-shaped base substantially co-extensive with said U-shaped member located at the bottom of said range in substantial alignment with said U-shaped member and said platform, and means for attaching said inverted U-shaped base to said wrapper sheet.

6. A range cabinet comprising a one-piece wrapper sheet including a vertical front panel and a horizontal platform, sai wrapper sheet having vertically-extending flanges along the lateral edges of said front panel and platform, a diagonal brace disposed at each side of said wrapper sheet and attached to said flanges adjacent the rear end of said platform and the lower end olis id front panel, a U-shaped member disposed beneath said platform with the opposed walls thereof located adjacent said braces, the bottom wall of said U-shaped member being substantially co-extensive with said platform, means for supporting said U-shaped member from said braces with the upper edges of said opposed walls located closely adjacent the under surface of said platform, said U-shaped member forming a heater box with said platform, an inverted U-shaped base substantially co-extensive with said U- shaped member located at the bottom of said range in substantial alignment with said U- shaped member and said platform, means for attaching said inverted U-shaped base to said wrapper sheet, said front panel having an oven opening therein, an oven liner supported within said range with the open end thereof in substantial registry withsaid opening, the upper and lower walls of said oven liner being spaced respectively from said bottom wall of said U- shaped member and the top wall of said inverted U-shaped base and the side walls of said oven.

side of said wrapper sheet and attached thereto adjacent the rear end of said'platform, a U- shaped member having bottom wall substantially co-extensive with said platform, said U-shaped member being disposed beneath said platform insubstantial alignment therewith, the upper edges of the side walls of said member being disposed adjacent the under surface of said platform and the front edges of said side walls and said bottom wall being disposed closely adjacent the rear surface of said front panel to provide a box-like enclosure with said platform and front panel, means for supporting the front end of said ushaped member from said front panel, and means for supporting the rear end of said U-shaped member from said braces.

, 8. A range comprising a one-piece wrapper sheet including a vertical front panel, a horizontal platform and a vertical back-splasher, said front panel having'an oven opening therein, an oven liner supported behind said front panel with the openingtherein aligned with the opening in said front panel, a support extending rearwardly from the lower end of said front panel and underlying said oven liner in spaced relation thereto whereby insulating material may be inserted between said support and the bottom of said oven liner,

diagonal braces attached to said wrapper sheet at each side thereof in spaced relation to the side walls of said oven liner whereby insulating material may be inserted between said liner and said braces, and a heater box supported beneath said platform, said heater box including a lower wall spaced above the top wall of said oven liner providing a space which may be filled with heatinsulating material.

9. A cabinet structure for a range comprising a one-piece wrapper sheet including a front panel,

,,a horizontal platform and a vertical backsplasher,

the lateral sides of said cabinet being open, said front panel having an opening therein of a size to permit insertion of an oven liner therethrough, a brace at each side of said wrapper sheet. each brace being attached to the platform adjacent the rear end thereof and extending diagonally to and being attached to said front panel adjacent the lower end thereof, supporting structure extending vertically along the back of the cabinet structure for supporting the rear end of the platform in a vertical direction from the surface on which the cabinet is supported, the lower end of said supporting structure being connected horizontally to the lower end of said front panel, an oven liner adapted to be inserted through said opening in said front panel and having flanges adapted to bear against the marginal portions of said front panel adjacent said opening, and means for connecting said oven liner to said vertidal supporting structure for drawing the oven liner rearwardly to cause said flanges to bear against the marginal portions of said front wall for holding the oven liner in place. ALFONS BARNSTEINER. 

